You've Lost That Loving Feeling - 12 August 1970 MS with reprise

In 2001 Turner Entertainment undertook a project to update Elvis - That's The Way It Is and in the main did an excellent job. There are however some major flaws two such being the ommitting of a pair of the finest live performances Elvis ever gave in 'I Just Can't Help Believing' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' both in the original movie and both from the 11 August Dinner show. Obviously running time constraints mean that some things had to be left out and you can't please everyone so the movie is what it is.

As RCA did in 1970 their succcessor BMG released an album to tie in with the cinematic release of TTWII, in 1970 the original TTWII album and in 2001 the 3CD TTWII Special Edition boxset. Whilst the original album would become a critically acclaimed classic the 2001 version featured some of the best live stuff to be released at that point.

2001 saw the release of three of the six TTWII shows recorded by RCA, 10 August Opening Show on FTD's 'One Night In Vegas', 11 August Midnight Show as CD#2 on the wonderful 'Live In Las Vegas' 4 CD box set and 12 August Midnight Show on the TTWII Special Edition.
The first disc of the new TTWII set was an expanded version of the original album and Disc 3 was a combination of a selection of unreleased live songs from the six shows but it was the second disc that was getting everyone excited as it was the much anticipated 12 August MS especially with FTD just a fledgling label live Elvis material was still at a premium.

On purchasing the new set on the morning of it's release I was straight home to put disc#2 into my CD player and my jaw dropped to the floor. In amongst this live show was the version of 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' from the original album - with a twist, it didn't end where we had believed it did - there was a reprise. Elvis started again just after the bridge, initially uncertain of his intentions the band realise that Elvis is singing the second half of the song again - what a treat! This video contains that complete performance reprise et al!

Originally recorded by The Righteous Brothers and produced by Phil Spector,  their version is widely regarded as probably the greatest and most famous love pop song of the 60's and as a true masterpiece.
Elvis however seems to take the song to an entirely new level, ever the master interpretor of a song he takes this composition and does something wonderful with it.
Firstly it is given a new arrangement starting off with some gentle bass from Jerry Scheff whilst Elvis creates just the right atmosphere by having the lights brought right down and starting his vocal with his back to the audience almost in complete darkness before turning round with his voice using most of it's power just as the lights come back on and the result is astonishing. It is amost as much great theatre as it a great piece of musicwhilst Elvis shows that he is totally in command of his audience and has them in the palm of his hand!
Just to add to compund an already magnificent performance and perhaps something to do with the fact that this is 12 August Midnight Show and Elvis seemed to feed of the electricity in the room tha night, he gives the audience a real thrill by reprising the final verse.
This was the version selected for the TTWII original album (with the reprise edited out) but strangely not for the movie itself. This is for me without doubt the piece de resistence of Elvis versions at least................

The audio has been replaced with that from disc #6 of the excellent TTWII Deluxe Edition which contains the complete 12 August Midnight Show with wonderful sound.